Poisonous Love
by TiffanyNyC
Summary: This is the enrapturous story of Moulin Rouge from beginning, to end, and beyond! A beautiful, and surprising take on this tragic love story, it is sure to be enjoyed. Rated for adult themes and sexual references. CHAPTER FOUR IS UP!
1. Chapter One

**Poisonous Love**

Writing this story is proving to be a phenomenal experience. I spent many days writing about 8 chapters, so updates won't take too long. Overall, I'm very pleased with the plot and am quite sure that you will love it.

**Disclaimer:** All characters from Moulin Rouge are owned by Baz Luhrmann and countless other production companies and individuals. Any separate characters you do not recognize are most likely ones I created. I did use quite a few direct quotes from the film, as well as my own. Absolutely no copyright infringement is intentional.

**Summary:**Poisonous Love is somewhat true to the movie. What I hoped to create was a shortened version of the film, by taking only what I felt to be the most crucial sections from the plot and tying them together to cover the story over a longer span of time. As a reader who has more likely than not viewed the movie, it will be easy for you to fill in the blanks between scenes. However, I wrote this story so that almost _anyone_ could read it without confusion. In any case, the plot will touch base on the movie's summary, with a few of my own additions, and then continue on past the movie into uncharted territory.

**Point of View:** The prologue to this story is written by Christian, but the rest of the story will be in Satine's point of view. I found this method to be the best course, so that I could properly reveal Satine's many mysteries to the reader while still leaving Christian guessing, true to the movie.

I would love any comments and suggestions you would like to give me – reviews are great and I appreciate constructive criticism. The story may be re-posted and edited at a later time should any obvious errors occur in the original copy. Thank you for your support and enjoy!

**Prologue**

Have you ever seen something so beautiful, that with one look, you're electrified, body and soul? Your existence becomes so dependent upon the sight of such enrapturing perfection, breathing becomes secondary. Should your gaze ever stray, even for a moment, surely you will be lost forever without such a harboring grace to look upon. That which I speak of is seldomly blissful, or even kind. It is, in fact, one of the cruelest things a woman can ever bestow upon a man. 

As she towered above countless eager recipients, her ravishing blue eyes met _mine._ I had been chosen. She had, unintentionally, cursed me with that which I had both feared and yet deeply yearned for.

_Love._

When initially arriving in Paris, I had been greeted with cold glares and ignorance. Toulouse, however, was _quite_ a different story. In a mere hour, I had become the leader of a group of bohemian revolutionaries, received my first employment as writer of a 'still to be summarized' play, and been thrust in the epitome of Parisian night life where the demons of fantasy and hidden pleasure revealed themselves to me for the first time – The Moulin Rouge.

And so here I sat, shyly sipping my white wine as coquettish dancehall girls

can-canned on the magnificent stage before me. Music was blaring, lights were flashing, colors were whipping about the room with dizzying speed, and then…

Silence.

A gaudy man whom I would later know as Harold Zidler approached the front of the stage and paused for a moment, twirling his red moustache. "Gentlemen." He began. "In mere minutes, the breathtaking enchantress of the Moulin Rouge will grace us with her presence…" Immediately cheers erupted. "As our Sparkling Diamond prepares for her appearance, I know of some lonely Moulin Rouge dancers looking for a partner!" But the crowds would not be appeased and began to chant.

"_Sa-tine, Sa-tine, Sa-tine, Sa-tine…"_

Harold Zidler retreated, obviously pleased with the reaction his announcement had received. And as the hundreds of dapper men waited anxiously for the Moulin Rouge goddess to appear, I remained seated, withdrawn at a lonely table, curious as to why the mere sound of a simple name sent my heart beating into a frenzy of excitement.

**Chapter One**

"_Sa-tine, Sa-tine, Sa-tine…"_

"Satine, you're late – hurry!" Marie pushed me toward a steep set of stairs as I struggled to pull on one last sequined heel. "Good luck, dearie!" she called.

Upon reaching my station, a golden swing was lowered and I nervously seated myself. "Are you ready, Mademoiselle Satine?" a stagehand yelled.

I took a deep breath and arranged my hair, pulling up my short skirt daringly higher. I timidly glanced below at my anxious onlookers. _These men will do anything for you…they would bow at your feet if you asked them to…there is nothing to be anxious about…_

"Mademoiselle Satine?" the man called again. After a pause, I confidently nodded and he began to pull a large rope, suspending me above the audience.

"_The French are glad to die for love…"_

With glitter in my eyes, I scanned the crowd – the same familiar faces, time after time…until my stare fell upon a shadowed corner. A young man sat, sipping his wine demurely. The sight of him brought my mind into a torrent of wild emotions I had never felt before – fear…surprise…pressure. He looked so innocently pure, thrown into a world of poisoned, vile millionaires. I raised my voice, feeling a desperate need to draw his attention to me, to impress _him_, and him alone. But the second his stunning gaze _did_ fall upon me, I lost all sight of reality.

"…_but I prefer, a man who lives…"_

My throat constricted violently as I attempted to finish the verse. Desperately taking in shallow amounts of air, I tried to hold back the coughs building inside my chest. Panicked, I felt my hands slip from the rope swing and found myself clutching at thin air as I fell, plunging into terrifying darkness.

OIOIOIOIOIO

Marie tightened my corset sympathetically, wincing as I let out short gasps with each tug. "Are you quite sure you're alright?"

"Of…of course. Really, Marie, you're being perfectly impractical! I'm-" I began to struggle for air as yet another torrent of smoldering coughs wracked my body. "I'm…I'm just fine." I hoarsely finished, wiping the blood of my hands and leaning towards the mirror to reapply my lip rouge.

"Dearie," Marie put an arm around me. "Perhaps your client can wait…another night instead…"

"No. If I can seduce the duke, the Moulin Rouge will be turned into a theatre and I will become…a _real_ actress." I sighed. "It is crucial that I…_perform_ well tonight. Now here; how do I look?"

I turned to face Marie, a black lace train following my satin corset. Placing one heeled foot upon a nearby stool, I whipped my curls around and lifted the train. "Hello there. How kind of you to come for a little…_visit_…this evening, dear Duke." I practiced suggestively.

Marie's face was grim. "My god, dearie…what has Harold done to you? How can he put you through these tormented services – you're but a child!"

"Sparrow?" I heard Harold call.

"I must go…don't worry Marie. It is fine…_I_ am fine," I said, attempting to reassure myself just as much as she.

OIOIOIOIOIO

"Now, my dear sparrow. I don't think I need to explain to you that the Duke is a v_ery important_ client. He is very selective – 'bright and bubbly', or even 'shy and demure' won't reach his expectations. I would try for 'smoldering temptress' perhaps." We reached the door and he turned to face me. "Please sparrow…do well tonight," he pleaded.

"Oh come now, Harold," I entered the room. "You know I'm the best." And with that, I closed the door behind me and turned to face the Duke.

OIOIOIOIOIO

I have quite a few chapters that I am still waiting to post. Reviews would be greatly appreciated so that I can form my next chapters to fit your suggestions before posting a new one – thanks!


	2. Chapter Two

Allright, so I decided to lengthen this chapter a bit...at loss for an ending to the section, I had made it very rushed...this should be better!

**Chapter Two**

"Hello there," I said, staring to the side so as to display my rouged profile. "How kind of you to …visit…this-" As my eyes turned to the Duke's, my mouth went dry and all my routinely practiced lines forgotten. "-this…this evening." I frantically searched for something…anything to say, but instead found my gaze locked on his tousled black hair and deep green eyes. Oh how I wish I could drown in those eyes…those beautiful, luscious eyes…

"Champ-…Champagne?" I stuttered hopelessly. "I mean to say; would you like some?"

"Oh, no thank you." The sound of his velvet-soft voice sent my heart into euphoria; my knees threatened to collapse and I struggled to say upright. Why was I acting so foolish? This man was no different than the hundreds of others I had encountered…all rich, greedy and eager to be served.

Play the part...smoldering temptress…

I slowly turned back towards the Duke and approached him seductively, purposely avoiding eye contact.

"I don't believe we've had a proper introduction…my name is Christian…Toulouse's new writer. I…I do hope you like what I do…" he said cautiously.

I was making him nervous! He liked me...he _wanted_ me...

_And I wanted him as well..._

"Well then…why don't we…begin" I said, taking a seat beside him on the bed and hesitantly placing my hand upon his. His skin scorched my own with desire and I jerked back as he abruptly stood.

"Actually…I'd prefer to do it standing." He announced.

"Oh."

"Oh no…you may sit. You see, sometimes its…well, its quite long….and I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable…"

"Very well…" I murmured breathlessly.

He faced me cautiously, opened his mouth, and began to sing.

The second he opened those beautiful lips of his and let out the most euphoric, wilting melody human ears have ever witnessed, I was frozen in time.

OIOIOIOIOIO

"I cannot believe it; I am in love with a handsome, wealthy Duke..."

His hot breath danced upon my face as he slowly leaned in. "A Duke?".

"Oh, well not that the title's important or anything..." I murmered. My lips ached with anticipation...we were merely inches apart...

"I am certainly no Duke!" He laughed.

I quickly pulled away. "What?"

At that very moment, a quite unexpected visitor arrived.

The Duke. That is, the real Duke.

It wasn't until dear Christian was left begging him to become involved in his newest play, that I realized the true meaning of his earlier words.

"…my name is Christian…Toulouse's new writer…"

But it was too late. The penniless man's voice had stolen my heart away, and I was left with a mere broken soul as Harold and I heard the Duke's conditions on investing in Christian's new play.

One…"The play must end with our Courtesan belonging to her Maharaja, and certainly not the sitar player..."

Two…"I must have the deeds to the Moulin Rouge…" To this, Harold and I reluctantly consented.

But it was the Duke's third and final condition that sent my blood running cold…

"I will require a contract binding Satine to me…exclusively and eternally…"


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

_Spectacular Spectacular!_, as that was what Toulouse's play was to be called, had inspired dear Harold more than anyone expected. Within three weeks, the Moulin Rouge had been beautifully transformed into a theater, and the dancers within it adjusted into an ensemble for the play. The Duke had been distracted by the production's details, causing me to see very little of him…until rehearsals started. I had not yet brought myself to face the terrible contract Harold had finally relented to sign a few days ago, but without word I knew things were different. I had been bought, and though I avoided the notion, I knew that the Duke would soon be making demands I would have to be all too pleased to fulfill.

"The rehearsal is going quite well, don't you think my dear?" I braced myself as the Duke placed a hand upon my leg. He did not seem to notice the slight flinch I had let escape.

"_Simply beautiful."_ I said, turning my eyes back towards Christian's adorable frown as he passionately argued with another actor as to how the scene was to be run.

"My darling," the Duke interrupted. "I've prepared us a dinner at the Gothic Tower this evening – you will be able to join me, won't you?"

"Of course, yes…" I said absentmindedly. Every moment the Duke was away Christian and I had spent together. Every second apart was torture, and every second together pure bliss. My breathing quickened as a soft finger gently caressed the back of my neck. I turned my head slightly and glanced behind me.

"_I love you."_ Christian whispered.

My eyes widened. "Sshh."

"What was that, dearest?"

"Oh nothing, my Duke. I was simply saying hello to our writer."

"Oh…hello." The Duke turned and frowned. "What is it that you want?"

"…Mademoiselle Satine…" Christian pondered a moment. "…I have made several changes to the…the _will the Hindu Courtesan be meeting in the Sitar player's humble abode?_ scene. I was hoping to run through them with you this evening…" He observed the Duke's rough hand clutching my leg. "It's really not that important…"

"Not important?" I scoffed, suppressing a smile. "The Courtesan _will_ be meeting in the Sitar player's humble abode scene is one of our most crucial. We will go over it tonight until I am completely satisfied."

"But darling-"

I put up my hand. "Dear Duke – please excuse me."

The Duke let out a growl of frustration and stalked away to speak to Harold. I caught Christian's eye and headed up to the balcony. Fear clutched my heart when I saw the Duke raising his hands in the air. "She is always dallying with the writer – practicing lines!" He screeched. My eyes began to burn. How would we ever stay together with such great odds against our love?

"Sshh…" Two warm hands grabbed mine and pulled them away from my face, gently wiping my tears away. "It's alright." I nodded slowly, standing to meet him. Christian's expression was serious.

"I missed you last night." It was not a statement…it was a question.

"I'm sorry." I turned away. After an hour of coughing, Marie had sent for a doctor. Despite my protests, he demanded a full examination but refused to give a diagnosis until Harold had promised a rather large sum of money in exchange for his help. He promised to return in a week after consulting with an acquaintance in America who would be able to assist my "condition" with modern medicine.

Worries had been tainting my thoughts – this sort of ailment was not uncommon in the Moulin Rouge, but never before had Harold been willing to pay the necessary fee to assist the sick dancers – he could always find another one on the streets. But the Sparkling Diamond was irreplaceable, and Harold would pay any sum of money in order to ensure the Moulin Rouge's security.

The truth weighed down upon my thoughts. I longed to tell Christian my fears; to inform him of the unknown that so deeply terrified me. But I held strong…it was foolish to worry him now without a proper diagnosis.

"I…I had a client." I said sadly.

"I see." He said. "Did you-"

"Yes." I replied softly, nausea forming in my stomach. "I _am_ sorry." I caressed his face lovingly. "Please promise me you won't be jealous."

Christian stared for a moment. He opened his mouth to complain but then thought better of it. After a pause, he gave the hint of a hesitant smile instead. "And…and what is my reward for this promise?"

I laughed. "Oh…it will be worth your while." I gently kissed his lips, pulling away after a moment.

"Oh, no you don't." Christian leaned over me and kissed me deeply until my body melted upon his.

"I love you." I breathed into his mouth before being consumed once more.

"Satine? Satine!" I heard Harold calling in the back of my mind and reluctantly pulled away. "You have to return to the stage," I said breathlessly.

"See you tonight then?" He asked eagerly as I buttoned my dress.

"Yes…yes, tonight. Now go!" I giggled as he ran away, hopelessly attempting to tuck his shirt in properly.

"_I hope you don't mind…I hope you don't mind…that I put down in words…how wonderful life is…now you're in the world._" I sang with soft exaltation.

Love is a many splendid thing indeed.


	4. Chapter Four

This is probably the best chapter so far! I am very pleased with how it all turned out...I feel really stable with the direction the story is going right now...hope you guys enjoy it too!

**Chapter Four**

"It must end."

Harold stood before me; his mouth set in a grim line.

"What are you talking about Harold?" I laughed nervously. _He must know…oh god, he knows…_

"What do you think, Satine? I saw you with him!" He yelled. "The Duke can give you _everything_…everything you've ever dreamt of. And you're dallying with the writer!" An anger I had never witnessed took over his emotions as he shook me harshly.

Tears stung my eyes. I moved away from his rage and tried to still my beating heart and regain my composure. "It's…it's nothing…just an infatuation, that's all." I whispered. "It's…it's nothing…nothing…" I repeated quieter than before. My powerful lies were no longer believable when it came to Christian, and Harold sensed it just as much as I.

"The infatuation _will_ end." His voice softened slightly with sympathy. "Tonight you will meet the Duke for supper…after you have broken it off with Christian. Satine-" He took my hands with a strict stare. "The Duke holds the deeds to the Moulin Rouge. Our future is in your hands...the Duke is not a man to deny. Should he discover…you will have _hell_ to pay, dearest." With that, he kissed me on the cheek and left me stunned and collapsed on the hard floor.

OIOIOIOIOIO

"I-I do not l-love you….I am v-very sorry for w-wasting…y-your t-time…" I said quietly. My reflection in the dressing room mirror became cloudy as tears welled in my eyes. A light, throbbing pain had taken over my senses and I blinked to stay focused. To put him through so much pain…he would be heartbroken.

_Who cares of the Courtesan…she will go back to her beloved Moulin Rouge. But of the writer…he will falter and weaken, until he is but another shadow on the dirty Paris streets. Christian…Christian does not deserve to pay for my foolishness…_ For the first time in my life, I had not cared about my own needs. Love had come before all. I had changed…I had grown. No longer had I been unwanted…no longer were my endless nights of service easy to bare and ignore. Love had become an addiction – once experienced, nothing would ever amount to its level of obsession.

But no longer. I was once again the 'Sparkling Diamond', a toy in the eyes of men.

_But Christian is different…do not put him through this pain …_

I heard Harold's stern voice in my head.

_The show must go on._

I had broken many hearts before…surely I could break _one _more.

"Marie!" I called, masking my face with a black veil. "Fetch me a carriage – I have some business to attend to."

OIOIOIOIOIO

"Good afternoon, Christian."

He leaned against the door and stared blankly at my cold gaze until recognition of my purpose dawned. "Satine, don't do-"

"No. The Duke. I am late to meet the Duke. This morning I realized. I have fallen in love with the Duke. I just wanted you to know, as of now…it…it has ended between you…and I. That is all." I quickly turned to leave. I felt my face losing its hard expression…I had to stay strong…In only a few hours, after supper and once alone, I would allow myself to feel the pain. I raced to the stairs and began descending as quickly as heels would allow, almost leaving him without breaking.

Almost.

A familiar warm hand grasped my shoulder. The tears began to burn. I blinked them away angrily, but they were relentless. "Let go of me!" I shouted. He gently pulled me back up the stairs and into his room. "Let. GO!" I kicked as he placed me into a chair in the corner and stood in front of the door, blocking my way out.

"Tell me why you are doing this." He stared, expressionless, for a few minutes as I broke down and sobbed into the chair, screaming at him all the while.

"I HATE YOU! Do you hear me? I. Hate. YOU! You MADE me love you!" I shrieked. "Why did you have to do that? Why did you have to make me fall in love! I TOLD YOU. I told you over and over and over again. I CANNOT ever FALL IN LOVE! Why COULDN'T you have just listened? WHY?" My childish screams quieted into silent tears as exhaustion took over, and Christian finally moved away from the door to approach me. He took my hand and massaged it carefully. "Why? Why did you do this all to _me_?" I cried.

"We cannot choose who we love." He said calmly. His focused concentration on my hands was broken as his tender eyes met my own. His expression was that of a beaten young child, frightened and worried. And yet he was still strong.

"Yes, well I can. A-and…and I do not choose the penniless Sitar player. I…I choose the maharaja." I got up to leave, but he pushed me back down, gripping the arms of the chair tightly.

"I cannot play these games, Satine. Love means overcoming all obstacles…I cannot give you my whole heart until you give me your own. I thought you would…I thought you would do anything for me.…"

"Yes…well, I am a Courtesan." I whispered, as if that explained it all. I watched in stunned despair as a single tear coursed its way down his smooth cheek.

"Yes, you are right. Thank you for helping me to see that you are confused. I am not interested in your services, for I do not need a whore. That is what you must want me to see you as, is it not? You will treat me no differently then the rest of your men, so why should I treat you differently than a common prostitute…" He did not yell. He just stared, his voice level and hard. "Would you like to leave me? Would you like to be free of my love? Very well then, I free you. You are no longer binded by my affection. Do what you want. How does it feel? How does it feel to be a meaningless whore once more? Perhaps not as wonderful as you imagined?" He opened the door, beckoning for me to leave. "You should go…we don't want your dear Duke to get the idea we are lovers, now do we?"

I walked to the door, slowly and cautiously. "No! No…Christian…Christian, I-"

"Have an enjoyable evening, _Mademoiselle_ Satine."

"Christian, wait, I-". The door slammed shut in my face. "Christian! Christian, Christian please…_please_...open the door…"

I was suffocating…without his love, I could not breathe. I was desperate, uncaring of the Moulin Rouge, of the Duke, of Harold's demands. Now that he had finally let me go, _I could not live without him._

"I am a fool, Christian! I do not know how to love…show me…show me how to love…I _need _you here…please…_please don't leave me_..."

The door swung open. I stared up with swollen eyes to see his face looking down upon my own. Tears shone as they fell in copious amounts from his pained eyes.

"Christian…I - I…Oh, Christian…" I grabbed his legs tightly and sobbed. "Don't leave me…t-teach me h-how to l-love…w-what must I d-do to please you? I will d-do a-anything…_anything_ to m-make you happy…j-just don't leave me this…this w-way…_please_…"

"I…I c-cannot d-do this…tonight." Christian stuttered shakily.

"Then…then don't…just…" My voice dropped to a whisper. "…j-just _tell me you still love me_." I pleaded.

He stared at me in agony. "J-just because….just because I f-free you from…from m-my love does n-not mean it does n-not exist…" He took a deep breath, his face tight with pain.

"Christian…I…I d-do not w-want to be free of y-your love. I c-cannot live without your love, Christian…I…_I need it…_"

Slowly, he crouched beside me. I wrapped my arms around him, but felt no warmth in return. No affection.

_I cannot live without your love…_

It is impossible to clearly explain the emptiness I felt. My heart was burning with satisfaction one moment, and in the course of an hour, it had been torn from my body mercilessly. I was no longer functioning; I could merely lay at his side and sob in pain and anguish until my sharp cries turned to unbearable coughs and my salty tears to bitter blood.

OIOIOIOIOIO

Hope you all enjoyed! R & R please - next post soon!


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